Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

University of Tasmania via Independent

Go to class Write review

Details

Go to class

Provider

Independent
Pricing

Free Online Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Duration & workload

5 weeks long, 2 hours a week
Sessions

Found in

Disease & Disorders Courses

Overview

Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), offering university-quality education about TBI covering the spectrum from mild concussion through to severe injury.

Traumatic brain injury is often described as a silent epidemic, with approximately 69 million cases occurring worldwide each year. The Understanding TBI MOOC is a free online course that aims to raise awareness and build knowledge to reduce risk, as well as improve management and rehabilitation outcomes for people who have experienced a TBI. A multidisciplinary team from the University of Tasmania, along with guest experts worldwide, looks at the causes and consequences of TBI, as well as the types of injuries and frequency at which they occur across the lifespan.

The Understanding TBI MOOC is designed to be accessible and is suitable for anyone with a personal or professional interest in learning more about Traumatic Brain Injury, including:

Sporting coaches and sports association members
Professional and amateur sportspeople
Teachers and school administrators
Risk and safety professionals
Health policy makers
Defence force staff
Allied health, nursing and medical professionals
Professional care and support workers
People living with a TBI and their families
Residential and community care staff
Anyone interested in brain health and neuroscience

Syllabus

Module 1 – Brain Science and TBI Pathology

2 hours recommended

What is a brain injury?
Introduction to the brain and brain anatomy and brain function
Biomechanics of TBI
Primary vs Secondary Injury

Module 2 – TBI from Mild to Severe

4 hours recommended

Mild TBI/concussion and symptoms and modes of concussion
Moderate to Severe TBI
Primary Damage in Focal TBI
Secondary Injury Cascades
Diffuse Brain Injury
Oedema
Imaging for diagnosis/prognosis
Link between brain injury, cognition and behaviour

Module 3 – TBI across the Lifespan

2 hours recommended

Paediatric TBI
TBI across age groups
TBI in older adults
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
Consequences outside the brain

Module 4 – Life after TBI

2 hours recommended

Impairments and Outcomes
Rehabilitation
Life for family members after TBI
Support after TBI
Personal traits: coping style
Personal traits: resilience
Sourcing reliable information

Charts

#3 in Subjects / Health & Medicine / Disease & Disorders

Reviews

4.9 rating, based on 1,043 Class Central reviews

Start your review of Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Laurie Butterfield @butter

This is the fourth MOOC I've take with the U of Tasmania and knew exactly what I was getting myself into when I enrolled. It provides a great overview of the topic of TBI in a logical and easy to understand format. You can be involved as much or as...

This is the fourth MOOC I've take with the U of Tasmania and knew exactly what I was getting myself into when I enrolled. It provides a great overview of the topic of TBI in a logical and easy to understand format. You can be involved as much or as little as you want to be and the workload is very manageable. I wanted to review information that I had learned over 7 years ago and wanted a refresher now that I am working in the field of rehab. I often get clients referred to me by our neuro PT and this course has helped me to further understand the programs and interventions that she has prepared for them. I find neuro fascinating and appreciated listening to the professors, seeing the graphics and the followup videos at the end of each section where individuals who had sustained a TBI or their family members or caregivers spoke about the circumstances and the rehab associated with the TBI. I highly recommend this to other health care practitioners who may work with clients/patients with TBI or their family/friends to help them to understand this hidden injury that still unfortuntely is stigmatized. Any one of us could be a moment away from a similar experience so understanding and empathy on the topic would be one step towards helping to destigmatize it.
Pat Bowden @pat

Another excellent course from the University of Tasmania! I took the course mainly because I know people who have suffered concussion. This course explained how the brain can be damaged from concussive incidents and just what happens in the brain. Plus the consequence (long-term injury) of repeated concussions before the brain has fully healed. It should be compulsory learning for every sportsperson who is keen to get back on the playing field as soon as possible.
Aedrian Abrilla @aaabrilla

Made with the same thoroughness and dedication as the Understanding Dementia and Preventing Dementia courses, the Wicking Dementia Centre, University of Tasmania delivered again in creating this course on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The content is both comprehensive and authoritative - from pathology to management - while simultaneously being digestible by a wide range of audiences both professional and casual. I particularly appreciate the testimonies of survivors of TBI and/or their carers - they add a relatable, human face to the condition of interest. I highly recommend this course to everyone.
Agustiah Agustiah @agustiah

Very informative and useful course, with a lot of activities (e.g. Body Central) that help to understand the materials better).
Thanks you for providing this course online, and help me to continuously learn new things
Claudia Caldwell

The first time I came across the MOOC TBI was June last year. I had completed several other short courses at that time and felt a bit tired and overwhelmed completing the course. So I enrolled again in March this year 2022 with the intention to get out...

The first time I came across the MOOC TBI was June last year. I had completed several other short courses at that time and felt a bit tired and overwhelmed completing the course.
So I enrolled again in March this year 2022 with the intention to get out of the course more than I did last year. With work and family commitments this time around I was again not able to listen to extra video clips and exploring extra resources such as websites and recommended articles. However, I pushed myself to read the learning material multiple times to stay tuned. The module which I found fascinating this time in comparison to last year was module 4 where life after TBI is discussed. The addition of Professor Barbara Wilson in module 4 in comparison to the TBI course of June 2021 is so worth while having in this final module. It is confronting but so true to hear from her that people with severe brain injury despite years of rehabilitation and personal effort will not get back where they were before the injury. Resilience, social network, family support - yes - this all plays a role. Affected are the person with injury and people around them.
What a great and well presented course. I won't do the course again with the next intake of 22nd of August, but I hope it is offered again next year.
Anonymous

An excellent way to learn about TBI for people within our society. People with a TBI are sometimes very reluctant to seek help, as they can feel that nobody really understands them. Sometimes there are people who do not want to help or understand a person who is in a vulnerable situation. This course is a good way to enable us to gain an understanding about Traumatic Brain Injury.
Anonymous

Really informative. As the parent of a 26yo with ABI I learnt a lot of relatable information regarding the structure of the brain and how it works. Knowing that recovery and rehab is similar for TBI and ABI was comforting. All staff at Brain Injury Units should have to take this course, particularly the nursing staff although all therapists would benefit too.
Anonymous

A very interesting course -broke down in 5 Modules.
Sufficient time allowed for each module to work online.
Discussion sessions if you wish.
Each session had well spoken speakers.
Whedoku Julius

Wicking is the best site to learn about TB,I because they have professional expert who where born from that field
Anonymous

it made me really understand what could happened if i ever suffer from TBI or if a loved one suffers from it
Anonymous

Fantastic course for increasing your confidence in building up current knowledgeable on traumatic brain injury, as there have been many changes in the science recently. This is a rather technical course, with science combined with videos of lived experience...

Fantastic course for increasing your confidence in building up current knowledgeable on traumatic brain injury, as there have been many changes in the science recently. This is a rather technical course, with science combined with videos of lived experience stories from many people with TBI. Topics include Brain function, and what happens immediately after and during secondary cascades of TBI and interventions and recovery; Severity of TBI; TBI across the lifespan (age affects injury severity and also recovery); Life after TBI. Each module includes videos with full transcript, key points, module summary, external relevant resourses, lived experience videos. There's a computer game to help you learn the names and functions of each part of the brain. Overall a rather helpful and hopeful course for those interested in science. There's about 6 weeks given to complete the course at a steady pace and take complete notes to pass the unlimited attempt multiple choice quizes for each of 4 modules.
Make sure to save the resources during the course to access as needed in life later.
Michael Straughn @mjohnstr

This course was excellent. Very well laid out and informative. As a sufferer of a serious TBI in early 2005, I found the information to be very accurate and it even opened my mind to seeking further opportunities for my continued recovery.
Anonymous

This course covered a lot of information about the brain and it's anatomy and physiology and what happens to the brain in traumatic brain injury, whether this is severe or mild. It covered the signs and symptoms of brain injury and the mechanisms of...

This course covered a lot of information about the brain and it's anatomy and physiology and what happens to the brain in traumatic brain injury, whether this is severe or mild. It covered the signs and symptoms of brain injury and the mechanisms of what happens to the brain in primary and secondary injury. It also showed how there is a link with brain injury, cognition and behaviour.
There was also information on the vulnerable stages of life when traumatic brain injury is likely to occur, such as childhood and older age with falls. There was also information about how traumatic brain injury has effects on other parts of the body, such as the "leaky gut" and effects on the lungs, as well as the brain.
My favourite part was the module on recovery and how many of the devastating effects of traumatic brain injury can be improved with appropriate therapy to support living a good functional life.
Johnny Woo

Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a good course for the beginer without the medical and clinical background. The course is starting from the basic and lead you to know about the main cause of injury. At the begining, I think Traumatic Brain...

Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a good course for the beginer without the medical and clinical background. The course is starting from the basic and lead you to know about the main cause of injury. At the begining, I think Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is happening at the people whom are playing the sports such as rugby. Later on, I discover that it is a collision sport, traumatic injuries do occur in rugby. They can include fractured bones, dislocated fingers and elbows, cuts, sprained ligaments and strained tendons or muscles and deep muscle bruises. There has been an increase of facial fractures, especially of the nose because helmets are not worn. Studying further and find that it may be happened to the old people and even as little as a baby. The recover period is last for few weeks to few years. This is a good course and let me think about all the issues which may be happened around us.
Anonymous

If anyone is unsure whether or not to enrol on the MOOC TBI course I would strongly urge them to do so. The three MOOC courses offered by UTas Wickings are by far the best non-academic courses I have completed - the content priceless to those who 'need'...

If anyone is unsure whether or not to enrol on the MOOC TBI course I would strongly urge them to do so. The three MOOC courses offered by UTas Wickings are by far the best non-academic courses I have completed - the content priceless to those who 'need' to know more - carers, therapy assistants, families and friends of sufferers of TBIs. No patronising academics, no big words that they would know we non-academics would not be able to understand and software that is easy to navigate. The professionals in their fields were such humble people and all verbal material was offered in such a way that it all made sense! It is no surprise that Wickings is a world leader in dementia research. I just would like to thank all involved in devising, developing, co-ordinating and contributing to what has, for me, been an incredible learning journey - a journey that I can now share with my work colleagues and the wonderful and brave dementia and TBI sufferers I have the priviledge of spending time with.
Anonymous

This course was well designed and the large amount of content was delivered effectively. It covers all the essential knowledge required to understand TBI while also providing plenty of learning resources to help those who may not have any background knowledge...

This course was well designed and the large amount of content was delivered effectively. It covers all the essential knowledge required to understand TBI while also providing plenty of learning resources to help those who may not have any background knowledge of TBI or anatomy. Since this course is broken up into short modules, it allows users to complete the modules in their time outside of their busy schedule. The content is delivered in a series of short videos which makes it easier to learn and take in information. I would have liked a bit more variety and challenge to the assessment quizzes which were quite simple. I also would have liked more visual aids to the videos to make them more interesting. Overall, I would highly recommend this course to anyone who has any interest or any potential experience in managing TBI as this course will cover all the essential content.
Anonymous

TBI course is a helpful and well thought out module. The learning process of what TBI is and is not has been a load off my mind and I am now blessed with insight and new experience and hopefully less judgement. The professor and doctors introduction...

TBI course is a helpful and well thought out module. The learning process of what TBI is and is not has been a load off my mind and I am now blessed with insight and new experience and hopefully less judgement.

The professor and doctors introduction and knowledge was incredibly inciteful to keep progressing through the module and the activities and patience assistance videos were very helpful regarding soaking up such hard to hear details.

In regards to the quiz at the end of each module I enjoyed the fact that it really helped stay in the moment and focus approach. The multiple answers are a blessing when dealing with so many new detailed pieces of information.

Thank you to all for the insight, learning and asking about why I want to learn about this topic and providing some answers.
Anonymous

This is a very well designed course,from the clips and videos were arranged in a very constructive way of briefing and dissusion.The contents cleared and easy to understand.They taught me a lot about brain injury from mind to severe,symptoms of different...

This is a very well designed course,from the clips and videos were arranged in a very constructive way of briefing and dissusion.The contents cleared and easy to understand.They taught me a lot about brain injury from mind to severe,symptoms of different types of brain injury such as Concussion and etc.l also learnt about the Anatony of brain,life after TBI,rehabilition and prevention of brain injury.This is a good course for new learner because they start very basic to cover until the main topic.now l am felt confident to share this course and knowledge to others.Finally l like to say thank you very much to Staff of Wicking Dementia Research and Education,University of Tasmania provided me such a wonderful course . l have definitely benefit a lot knowledges and ideal from them.
Anonymous

I will recommend the "Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury' course to my friends. Regardless of a person's level of education, the on-line course is presented in a logical and easy to follow format, making a difficult and complex subject easy to follow...

I will recommend the "Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury' course to my friends. Regardless of a person's level of education, the on-line course is presented in a logical and easy to follow format, making a difficult and complex subject easy to follow and understand. New terms are defined in the subject matter and in the Glossary and there are numerous prompts throughout the course to engage the participant and aid in understanding. The short quizzes at the end of each module are more a self test to ensure that the participant has gained sufficient knowledge to proceed to the next module. Importantly though, understanding TBI is valuable for any person from any walk of life to aid in understanding what can happen to the brain and the impacts on the whole-of-body in case of a TBI.
Anonymous

This course provided a great introduction to TBI and I felt that all the information was reliable and current, based on the course being created and presented by University of Tasmania. I completed it as a health professional new to working in the community...

This course provided a great introduction to TBI and I felt that all the information was reliable and current, based on the course being created and presented by University of Tasmania.
I completed it as a health professional new to working in the community space, and found the information very useful for some of the client population that I will be working with.
I think this course would also benefit those with existing knowledge of TBI, to refresh what you already know with the most recent updates in evidence.
I'm glad this course ran a second time in 2022, because I missed the first one earlier in the year. I also really liked that the videos have closed captioning and also an option to read the text if you prefer. Thank you for putting together a great course!